21 Hunter Paradise

The sun rose for the third time and the hearts of the Hunter Exam candidates were flooded with relief. Finally! It surely wouldn't be long now before it was announced that this stage of the test had come to an end.

Many found themselves strangely excited. They'd been pushed further than they'd known they could go, being forced to show more resiliency than any ordinary person in the face of such a difficult situation. They'd proved their own strength, and now they felt like they could do anything.

Of course, the good moods were undercut by incredible thirst and hunger, but the candidates forced themselves to ignore their delirious cravings for just a bit longer. It wouldn't be long before they'd have a chance to rehydrate and recover.

***

William, as usual, went to retrieve his water bottles from the ground, then went to see Marlon and Alexandre. "Here," he said. "It's not much, but it'll give you a little relief while we wait for Omega to put an end to all this."

Alexandre raised an eyebrow. "I'm surprised you still have water after all this time."

Marlon added, "Yeah, that's pretty weird. I saw your bag last night and there was nothing there. What's up with that?"

William had grown to enjoy the company of these two people, but he was also keenly aware that the Hunter Exam wasn't over yet. One test still remained, and it would be best for him to remain discreet about his secrets. "Just drink up and be grateful," he said smugly.

Just then, there was a crashing noise in the forest. Omega, the doctors, and the other administrators had finally arrived.

Omega pulled out his tablet and looked at its display. "Right," he said into the loudspeaker's microphone, "you've got one more hour left in the circle. At that point, you'll be ready to begin the last physical test. It'll take place tomorrow morning at oh seven hundred (7:00 AM) at the island's athletics grounds with the other groups of candidates. Until then, you'll have free reign of the island's facilities to rest and recuperate. Trust me, you'll need it."

Someone raised their hand and said, "Someone stole my phone and wallet last night! I have no money left, what do I do?"

Omega gave a cold smile. "Well, good thing you're already used to sleeping outdoors, right? See you tomorrow morning, maggots. Be on time."

A murmur of outrage spread among the candidates. Many of them had, of course, "lost" their personal effects during the first two nights of the test. As a result, they wouldn't have the chance to recuperate in a hotel and would be at a further disadvantage in the next test.

Fortunately for many, there was another method of payment that couldn't be easily stolen. By 2036, fingerprint payment had become widespread across the remaining world. It had even replaced payment by bankcard almost everywhere, so someone who lost their wallet could still pay. Even still, the poorest people among the candidates—and there were many of them—had been carrying almost all their money in cash, and they would still suffer.

An hour or so later, the loudspeaker shrieked, "Second test completed."

The medical team immediately spread out to tend to the injured while everyone else left the testing zone. As everyone moved around, conversations rose up among the people.

"My God, I never thought this would be so extreme!" 

"I can't take any more. I'm scared for the last test."

"Mum, help me survive tomorrow!"

Alexandre, Marlon and William wasted no time. They received directions for the town near the next testing site, then immediately started walking through the forest. The frosty soil crunched under their feet and the sunlight poured down in beautiful patterns through the tree branches.

Marlon said, "Boy, I've never been so thirsty in my life. I could drink a whole gallon of water."

Alexandre replied, "Yes, with your BMI (body mass index), you need a lot more water than most people. Especially while you have an injury. This test must have been especially difficult for you."

Marlon replied, "It's true I need more water, but against a scrawny chicken like William I'm pretty sure I'll win every fight, so I'll take the trade-off."

It wasn't long before the trio found a paved road in the middle of the forest. They followed the directions they'd been given and followed it a short ways until the trees broke away to reveal the small market town of Hunter's Paradise.

It was startling to see the signs of civilization after being stuck in the wilderness for so long. To the trio's surprise, they glimpsed the familiar signs of several major businesses rising above the buildings of the town, particularly fast food locations. 'They must have contracts with the US military,' Alexandre thought to himself. 'I wasn't expecting that.'

As the trio walked into town, they realized there was an abundance of stores of all sorts in Hunter's Paradise, both ordinary shopping centers and stores which seemed to specialize in Hunter products, which Alexandre wanted to check out when he had the opportunity. It seemed that students would lack nothing here.

Before they worried about anything else, of course, the trio needed to get some food and water. They entered the first small grocery store they found, so desperate for water that they'd have been willing to pay $100 for a single bottle—but it was no use. A huge crowd of almost thirty people were surrounding the checkout lanes.

Alexandre took a few glances, then turned to his companions. "Not only did they get here before us, but I don't recognise anyone here. Omega said that we'd be competing against other groups, and it seems that this is one of them. I wonder how many of them have been undergoing similar tests across the island."

William replied, "That makes sense. According to my calculations, there were at least 50,000 candidates who entered this year, so it stands to reason that they'd be divided into different groups. I estimate that they broke us into about ten different groups."

Thankfully, it seemed that the grocery store was prepared for the massive numbers of customers. They were incredibly efficient at moving candidates through, and it wasn't long before the trio were able to purchase their own drinks. As soon as they stepped outside, each of the three young men drank almost a whole liter of water in the space of only a few seconds.

Alexandre took a deep breath as he finished drinking. "That really hit the spot. Well, it's time for me to leave, now. I have business to attend to."

Marlon replied, "Same. I feel like I could eat five pounds of food. As weird as it was to see in the middle of nowhere, I think I'm gonna check out that KFC on the way in. The sign said they've got a special on chicken fries and I think it's time for me to do a little food inspection."

William nodded confidently. "Right then, I'll see you both tomorrow!"

The trio parted ways and Alexandre began preparing his plans for the third test of the Hunter Exam.